Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Anyang Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Anyang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,194 per month in Shanghai vs $671 in Anyang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,972 per month in Shanghai vs $1,076 in Anyang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,750 per month in Shanghai vs $1,481 in Anyang, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 78% more than Anyang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Anyang are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 11% lower, Anyang 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 ¥33.95

$1.78 ¥12.13

179.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.17 ¥247

$20.68 ¥141

74.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥37.04

$5.73 ¥39.12

-5.41%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥24.31

$1.27 ¥8.67

180.31%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.64

$0.44 ¥2.99

20.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.28

$0.20 ¥1.36

65.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ¥9.23

$0.93 ¥6.34

45.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.87

$2.14 ¥14.61

28.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 ¥14.54

$1.83 ¥12.52

16.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ¥12.58

$1.60 ¥10.96

15.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.19

$0.89 ¥6.09

17.98%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.45

$1.61 ¥11.00

4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 ¥106

$12.68 ¥86.6

22.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 ¥22.13

$3.24 ¥22.12

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 ¥74.0

$10.32 ¥70.5

4.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ¥16.22

$1.73 ¥11.84

36.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.57

$1.25 ¥8.51

35.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$1.42 ¥9.69

26.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥10.09

$1.14 ¥7.77

29.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.83

$0.68 ¥4.65

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.99

$0.96 ¥6.56

21.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.25

$0.59 ¥4.04

5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.15

$0.56 ¥3.79

8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ¥19.17

$3.04 ¥20.74

-7.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 ¥81.2

$9.87 ¥67.4

20.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.38

$0.79 ¥5.43

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.72

$1.60 ¥10.94

-1.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.29 ¥1.99

51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.93 ¥239

$16.49 ¥113

111.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.33

$1.43 ¥9.77

56.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.59

$0.33 ¥2.22

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.23 ¥56.2

$6.65 ¥45.40

23.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$1.13 ¥7.71

1.77%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.9K ¥135.8K

$19.1K ¥130.7K

3.91%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$17.8K ¥121.8K

$16.4K ¥112.0K

8.69%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$52.2 ¥357

$44.96 ¥307

16.10%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.70 ¥59.4

$9.59 ¥65.5

-9.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.58 ¥92.7

$11.79 ¥80.5

15.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.31 ¥316

$41.52 ¥284

11.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.45 ¥140

$13.99 ¥95.6

46.18%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ¥56.5

$6.20 ¥42.36

33.23%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,266 ¥8,649

$331 ¥2,260

282.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K ¥218.2K

$17.0K ¥116.2K

87.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ¥408

$43.99 ¥300

35.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 ¥261

$30.88 ¥211

23.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥527

$73.0 ¥499

5.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 ¥657

$73.7 ¥503

30.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 ¥6,478

$275 ¥1,881

244.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,908

$189 ¥1,290

202.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,473 ¥16.9K

$588 ¥4,017

320.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 ¥8,239

$360 ¥2,458

235.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥96.2K

$2,905 ¥19.8K

385.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,213 ¥49.3K

$2,186 ¥14.9K

229.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,682 ¥11.5K

$445 ¥3,043

277.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.87

-7.49%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Shanghai: April 12, 2026

Last update for Anyang: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Shanghai versus $275 in Anyang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 278% higher in Shanghai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36 in Shanghai versus $21 in Anyang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $197 – making Anyang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Shanghai vs Anyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 78%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,790 per month in Shanghai and $1,007 in Anyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Anyang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,194 in Shanghai and $671 in Anyang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 112% less in Anyang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Anyang, where all-in costs run around $671, than in Shanghai at $1,194. In Anyang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Anyang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Anyang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shanghai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.